Tuesday, September 01, 2009

BSA conference, London 2009

I will speak at the BSA conference the weekend after next (September 11th to 13th) in London. I have two one-hour slots, but will try to give 30-minutes talks with plenty of time for debates. I hate those one-way presentations of which I am guilty, too. Of course, feedback from the audience is critical. I will definitely feel stupid if no-one asks a question or makes a comment. But a good reality check; if I have already lost everyone after half an hour, not need to talk another 30 minutes! :-) My talks are on Saturday from 17:00 to 18:00, and on Sunday at 12:00 to 13:00. Not the best times for presentations to entertain and keep awake an audience hit hard by information overload after a full day of program. Not to speak of the instincts to get the buffet first! I hope many of you can make your way to the conference, and challenge me!

The first is on Neurological and Emotional aspects of stuttering.

Genetics and Brain imaging has confirmed a neurobiological basis for stuttering. But why can we speak fluently at home but not to our boss? Be fluent when singing? Fluent after therapy but relapse later? Suddenly start stuttering without apparent reasons? Surely we have no neurological issues if we can speak fluent?

I will present a biopsychosocial model (the one I am writing a book about with a friend of mine) and a model for symptoms to show how a neurobiological basis can account for the wide range of seemingly paradox symptoms. There is no mystery.

The second is on Evidence-based Interventions: How Good is the Evidence?

Treatment should ideally be based on good evidence. Unfortunately, most evidence presented is flawed. I will talk about devices like SpeechEasy, medication like Pagaclone, early intervention like Lidcombe, adult therapy like Hollins Institute or Del Ferro, and highlight that evidence they claim is flawed or non-existent.This workshop should be useful to consumers and also therapists to better understand the traps and loopholes in evaluating evidence.

The text is self-explanatory... So all that remains is for me to write the talks!!! :-(

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